(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to check-out counters which are used in stores such as supermarkets for check-out of merchandise bought by customers.
Existing check-out counters, installed in stores such as supermarkets, are designed for physically normal customers only. Recently, stores such as supermarkets are on the way to improvements of convenience for physically disabled persons in wheelchairs. There is a demand for an improved check-out counter which enables the physically disabled persons to get easy access to the check-out counter.
(2) Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional check-out counter 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional check-out counter 10 generally has a side frame 11, a rectangular top plate 12 on the side frame 11, and an accounting terminal 13, such as a POS (point-of-sale) terminal, on the top plate 12.
The conventional check-out counter 10 is designed for normal customers only, not for physically disabled persons. The top plate 12 has a square corner 12a located near an entrance part of an access lane related to the check-out counter 10. The square corner 12a is slightly rounded so as to prevent the customer from being injured when the customer hits the corner 12a. The side frame 11 has a side surface 11a located adjacent to the access lane, and the top plate 12 has a side end surface 12b adjacent to the access lane. The side surface 11a is flat and parallel with the side end surface 12b of the top plate 12. The side surface 11a and the side end surface 12b are substantially flush with respect to a horizontal direction.
FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B show an arrangement of a conventional check-out facility using the conventional check-out counter 10 of FIG. 1.
The conventional check-out facility using the check-out counter 10 is usually arranged in a building as shown in FIG. 2A. This arrangement allows for use by the normal customers only. The check-out counter 10 is separated from a wall of the building, and an access lane 16 having a width W1 is provided between the check-out counter 10 and the wall of the building. The width W1 of the lane 16 is set at a width that is adequate for a normal customer 20 to pass through the lane 16 without interference with the check-out counter 10.
In order to enable a physically disabled person 22 in a wheelchair 21 to get easy access to the check-out counter 10, the conventional check-out facility using the check-out counter 10 must be arranged as shown in FIG. 2B. In the conventional check-out facility of FIG. 2B, the check-out counter 10 is separated from a wall of the building, and a wide access lane 17 having a width W2 greater than the width W1 is provided between the check-out counter 10 and the wall of the building. As the conventional check-out counter 10 is not designed for physically disabled persons in wheelchairs, the width W2 of the lane 17 to which the conventional check-out counter 10 is installed must be greater than a width of the wheelchair 21 by about 200 mm. The difference (about 200 mm) between the width W2 of the lane 17 and the width of the wheelchair 21 is called a margin width.
Generally, for many stores such as supermarkets, an internal area of a respective store where a plurality of check-out counters are installed is limited. If the check-out facility as shown in FIG. 2B, which allows easy access by the physically disabled persons, is placed in the internal area of such a store, the number of check-out counters 10 installed therein has to be reduced to a number smaller than the number of check-out counters 10 installed as shown in FIG. 2A.
On the other hand, the conventional check-out counter 10 is designed for normal customers only, and it is inconvenient to the disabled person 22 in the wheelchair 21 in several points. For example, the disabled person 22 in the wheelchair 21 must take a circuitous course, as indicated by a line 25 in FIG. 2B, when entering the access lane 17, such that the wheelchair 21 does not interfere with the corner 12a of the check-out counter 10. It is inconvenient to the disabled person 22 to put a shopping bag on the top plate 12 from a position of the wheelchair 21. It is not easy for the disabled person 22 to see a customer display of the accounting terminal 13 from the position of the wheelchair 21. It is also difficult for the disabled person 22 to place money on or receive change from a cash container above the top plate 12 of the check-out counter 10.